Niger

President dissolves parliament

Article published on the 2009-05-26 Latest update 2009-05-26 16:58 TU

President Mamadou Tandja
(Photo: AFP)

Niger President Mamadou Tandja dissolved parliament on Tuesday in an effort to organise a referendum to change term limits in the constitution and allow him to run for a third time, according to state radio. Parliamentarians were reviewing the letter Tandja had sent to them explaining why he was calling for the new poll when the announcement was made.

"By virtue of a presidential decree, the National Assembly is dissolved," according to state radio. It added that more details would come later.

"This, this looks like a coup d'etat," said Mamoudou Gazibo, a Niger national and political science professor at the University of Montreal.

Tandja, as per Niger's constitution, would have to step down at the end of his second five-year term at the end of 2009.

"When you know this country, when you have many political parties well organised, you have strong civil society organisations, I don't think this can work," Gazibo told RFI.

On Monday, the country's highest court, ruled that it was opposed to the referendum, citing Article 49 of the constitution, which allows the president to call a referendum, but it "cannot serve as a basis for changing the constitution."

The Constitutional Court said on Monday that Tandja would be "violating his oath of office" if he proceeds to change the constitution. Some 23 parliamentarians had asked for the court to rule on the President's proposal after a government spokesman revealed Tandja's motives earlier this month.

"It would be very wise for President Tandja just to follow the Constitutional Court's address.This will be the best solution for this country. Otherwise, I see big instability in this country," added Gazibo.